They Needed Him
by Little.Miss.Meggie
Summary: 'Stay,' she pleaded wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. It was utterly heart-wrenching and he felt Catherine's hand tighten as another cascade of tears drenched her features at the pain and insecurity her daughter was feeling. Set shortly after 'Lady Heather's Box' looks at the pain and fear Catherine is facing... Quite fluffy but with a nice wegde of smut alongside! R


He awoke to the shrill ringing of the phone; he reached through the darkness and picked it up with a grunt of annoyance. As his eyes focused on the flashing screen he suddenly recognised the home number calling him.

'Catherine' He stated briskly, sitting up and shaking himself awake, ice already forming in his veins.

'No, Warrick… I-It's Lindsey' At the sound of her scared little voice he bounded from the bed, his mind going a thousand miles a minute

'Lindsey, what's happened? Cathy, your Mom, is she okay?' At that moment he couldn't stop his brain flashing images of Catherines lifeless body in various scenarios and his heart bled at the thought

'She, She' He could hear her sobs and it broke his heart more at the thought of the child he praised as a daughter crying and alone. 'She can't stop crying' she finished. He swallowed and leant against the door, as relieved he was she wasn't hurt, the idea of her so vulnerable was almost as tough.

'I'm on my way Linds but talk to me, what happened?' He knew she didn't need to explain what had happened, it was clearly about Eddie's death but it just felt like something was off.

'She put me to bed and, and I heard her crying so I went into her room, she was crying about Daddy so I cuddled her and she stopped and we fell asleep, I woke up and she was talking… she was dreaming I think, and she kept saying your name all weird! I don't know what was the matter so I woke her up and she saw me and started crying again, I didn't know what to do and I started crying' her voice failed and hearing her cry down the phone dragged him to a stop once again, it was killing him. He put a hand on the car and listened intently as the 9 year old managed to find the strength to finish the conversation. 'God she's her mothers child' he breathed to the sky.

'She carried me to bed and told me to stay there, and that she was ok but I can hear her crying and she's locked her door and she's been in there for an hour, I don't know what to do'

'I'm on my way Lindsey! Stay strong I will be there as soon as I can'

'Hurry Warrick, please. We need You.'

Her last words clung to him and he didn't care how many speed limits he broke or how many red lights he ran. The closest thing he had to family were alone and miserable, sod the law!

As he arrived at the house he pulled his key out of his pocket and rammed it into the door very nearly taking it off its hinges in his urgency.

-~-~-~-)|(-~-~-~-

She was brought back from her pitiful cocoon of misery by the distant sound of a car door slamming. Convinced she imagined it she rolled over and looked at the time, 0319, she wasn't sure how long she had been crying. As she decided she had imagined it she heard the front door slam, suddenly petrified for her child she ran to the door, pulled back the blot and called for Lindsey. She reached her daughters door as she appeared in the corridor, the bloodshot eyes of both met for a second, simultaneously they looked up the corridor to the intruder who flew around the corner almost as if on cue.

'Warrick'

Lindsey's cry masked Catherine's whisper and as she ran and leapt up into his waiting comfort, Catherine found herself weak, she rested against the wall next to the doorframe and allowed new tears to fall. She watched her darling baby girl sob into Warrick's shoulder.

Her eyes travelled from up to his face and found his looking at her with a mixture of worry, pity, hurt and something else she was not quite sure she could place: anger, regret, remorse.

He moved forward, his eyes still holding hers as he soothed Lindsey, her sobs subsiding somewhat but her face showing the strain from the night and the worry she had felt for her mom. He arrived at the doorway and placed her back on her feet, lowering himself so his face was a little below hers, he lifted her chin so she looked him in the eyes. He wiped away the last few tears as his other hand travelled up the doorframe and gripped Catherine's. He heard the slight whimper at his movements and could not bring himself to look at her incase the pain there would make his breaking heart give up completely. Instead he remained focused on the littler love in his life and gently began to rub her back with his spare hand.

'Lind's it's going to be okay, you can go to sleep now' he said gently, at his words she seemed to allow the exhaustion to permeate every muscle and she swayed slightly where she stood. But her little voice piped up as she made Warrick understand her.

'Stay,' she pleaded wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. It was utterly heart-wrenching and he felt Catherine's hand tighten as another cascade of tears drenched her features at the pain and insecurity her daughter was feeling.

'Please Stay, don't leave us' She pleaded in his ear and he swallowed the lump in his throat, finding speech too difficult at that moment he nodded and rubbed her back again.

'Bed sweetheart' he commanded gently as his voice caught up with him, she nodded sleepily and looked at her mother, silent tears were still streaming down her cheeks but from somewhere she managed to smile at her girl and the relief in her eyes took away a tiny bit of the pain. As if already asleep Lindsey released Warrick, turned and climbed into bed, turned the small lamp on and looked back at the door. Warrick stood and moved his hand from Catherine's right hand to rest gently on her left hip, he held her steady, his arm almost securing her like a seatbelt to the wall, comfort she desperately needed as her legs threatened to let her slump to the floor. He had turned off the big light and was about to close the door when her little voice again, laced with exhaustion, piped up;

'Look after Mommy Warrick, we need you'

He felt her body begin to shake at those words and as he shut the door for the first time he paid his full attention to his woman. If Lindsey's face had broken his heart before, then he hardly knew how to describe what he felt when he saw her green eyes full of such pain. He moved himself to stand before her, placing his hands on her hips and looking intently at her, waiting to see what she needed.

As her arms circled his neck, he felt the scorching tears begin to sink into his shirt and wrapped his arms tightly around her lower back. He wanted to pull her so tightly into him that every sense of hurt or pain in her body would transfer to him, the horrific pain he saw in her eyes was enough to kill him but he couldn't let it, he needed to be strong, to be there, for her. She needed him.

In any other situation with anyone else she would have been mortified at them seeing her so broken and vulnerable. But now, with him, it didn't matter, she needed this, Lindsey was right; they needed him.

They stood still in the corridor for some time, although her tears were falling thick and fast she was a silent weeper and the only sounds were her occasional sniff and his heart beating in his chest, it was comforting and the longer he held her the more she felt like the pain was drifting from her.

Warrick, however, was beginning to struggle with himself, the hated himself for what his body was doing but being this close to her was always torture. Realising that if they remained like this for much longer she would probably be aware of his 'feeling' and the last thing he wanted was for her to think it was his reason for coming, he knew they needed to shift positions. He looked at the small fragment of face that wasn't covered by her hair or buried into his chest and realised there was no signs of tears anymore just her pain and misery she was struggling to shift.

At the sign of movement, Catherine panicked, wrapping her arms around his neck and whimpering in protest, she tried to tell him, without words, not to go. He lifted her easily up into his arms, cradling her in his arms at though she was the most previous thing in the world, and for him, that wasn't far from the truth. Her hands touched the sensitive skin on his neck and he sensed her worry, hearing her whimpers he leant his head into her ear as he walked into her bedroom.

'I'm not going anywhere, I promised, remember?' he felt the relief and for the first time she made the effort to speak. 'How?' was all she managed, but the meaning was clear, how did he know to be here? As he placed her down on the bed she curled up and watched him as he knelt at the side, taking her hand in both of his and bringing them to his chest, he kept his eyes down, almost as if praying.

'She called me, Lindsey I mean, she told me you… you were crying and she, she asked me to come, do you mind?' There was something in his eyes as he looked at her, the same thing she couldn't place earlier. She shook her head, trying to tell him Lindsey was right but her throat didn't want to work.

'I'll stay in here until you sleep and then go crash on the sofa if that's okay?' he all but whispered as he pulled the cover over her trembling form, she was the most pitifully beautiful thing he had ever seen.

'No' she croaked, coughing gently she continued 'will you, will you lie with me for a bit?' It was more of a plea than a question, but the pain was turning her body cold and she couldn't handle her empty bed. He stood and moved around the bed, the room was dark and she could only see the outline of him as he removed this shoes and jacket and climbed on top of the covers, as he lay in the centre of the bed, he extended his arms and she placed her head on his shoulder. Even though the cover he could feel her body struggling to remain warm and he wrapped his arm around her tightly, closing his eyes and wishing for his body to understand the situation. He thought back over the night.

She cuddled up to him, although he was on top of the cover she could feel the heat emulating off him and was glad his arm wrapped her in closer. She felt almost right again, she had started off crying over the shock of the day, almost losing Lindsey, Eddie being found dead, it was a lot for her to handle and she just needed to cry, and when Lindsey came in and comforted her she felt so truly ashamed of herself for allowing herself to be that vulnerable.

He coughed gently and she moved her hand to his heart, where her head had been when he held her in the corridor, she felt a slight warmth travel back into her body.

His brain had taken him back over the phone conversation again and again, the first few times he struggled to get the scared little voice from his mind, but after that he began to think about what had occurred that night before the call was made, she was crying over Eddie, and no doubt the fright she might lose Lindsey would of pulled a massive amount of emotion from her, when he had heard he felt as if he was hit in the stomach and the gut-wrenching fear of losing her was almost overbearing, so how she must of felt he would not begin to imagine, but she had slept, with Lindsey by her side warm and safe, so why was she now so cold again, what had happened, from all that Lindsey had said she had been dreaming, dreaming, 'she was dreaming I think, and she kept saying your name all weird!' What was she dreaming.

His heart suddenly pounded and his mind began to run ideas over his conscious thought, what had she dreamt and was it somehow related to her broken persona, the idea that a thought of him could do this to her made his stomach twist up again but, either way he wanted to know.

'Cathy' the voice was smooth and quiet but still with enough conviction she knew to answer him,

'Yes?' she said moving slightly and causing the blanket between them to drag against him.

His struggling mind sent the sensation directly to his groin and he closed his eyes as he asked the formidable question.

'When Lindsey called me she said you fell asleep and woke up from a bad dream?' He paused and opened his eyes, feeling her moving rapidly away, he was concerned but continued as she sat perched on the bed knees to together feet only just on the floor, with her shoulders hunched and elbows resting on her knees as she cradled her head. 'She said you were saying my name, weird, but you kept saying my name?' at this she stood up and began to walk to the door, her head bowed, face hidden by her hair and her arms tightly crossed across her chest. He moved quickly and stood up just after her, speaking quickly 'I just wanted to know what happened in the dream, were we working a case, or' he swallowed hard 'was I hurting you?' the idea sickened him but he watched her intently for her reaction.

At the last bit of his question she threw her head back and closed her eyes, the new tears rolled in all directions across her face and the faintest of smiles graced her features, remembering the dream, before it turned into a nightmare. She answered him in a direct voice, full of reminisce

'No Warrick, you didn't hurt me, and we weren't working a case… we were at your apartment,' she brought her head back forward to the door and smiled more, 'we, we were making love Rick' she answers softly. He took a step forward 'then why did you cry?' he asked, horrified the answer would be that she could never feel for him in that way, that the idea he'd cherished for so long was ridiculous and there no possibility of him living up to Eddie. Fears that frequently graced his brain after he had fantasised about her but now they were beating themselves against his skull at the same beat of his heart.

'I asked you to move in,' she laughed gently as tears escaped her eyes remembering the turning point of the dream 'to move in with me and call Lindsey your own and you, you said no' she physically shook her arms, as if to throw off the emotion long enough to explain, 'I asked you why and you told me to be serious,' There was a bitter tone there now 'I asked you if you love me and you, you said' she couldn't do it, and whatever horrific thing he had said to her caused her to collapse down to her ground again as she wept into her lap.

For a moment he was stunned, the idea she dreamed of him, wanted him with her always and even asked him to confess his love was a miracle but then he had said something to make her this heaving mass on the floor and although he did not know what he had said, due to the fact he hadn't, he felt truly apologetic. He fell down behind her and pulled her up, her back flush against his chest. He could feel her heaving sobs, her shoulders shaking as she wrapped her arms tighter around her midriff.

'Cathy, it was a dream, it wasn't real I'm here, I'm here now, it was a dream Catherine, only a dream' He whispered in her ear as he stroked her hair off her face and tried to make her look at him, his right arm had snaked around her waist and was holding her hand as she rocked in his arms, maddened by his answer. 'Please Cathy, what did I say?' his voice was soft and worried.

She swallowed and stopped her rocking, leaning back into his arm as he was sat more to her side in order to see her face, she couldn't look at him 'you told me…' She gulped and shook her head slightly to regain her control. 'You said, how could you move in and live with me, couldn't I see you had so much more in your life than I could every give you… and why would you want to take on someone's child when you can have your own' She shook again, curling herself into her knees as not to see his face, or for him not to see hers.

'Catherine, how can you think, how could I, I mean' he splutters, trying to comprehend what part of her brain would tell her he wouldn't jump at the opportunity, but her reaction worried him and he places his hand on her back and says 'was there more?'

After a few moments she found herself able to talk and continues 'I ask you 'don't you love me or Lindsey?' and you just say 'how could I, Lindsey her mother's child, and look at you' I wanted to know how you had been so kind to me before and you told me I was easy but really, it was a wasted night and then you left and I called for you but you….' She faltered again and collapsed into her ball hiding herself from the monsters her brain created. After a few moments of being able to do nothing more than rub her back Warrick found the courage to speak 'Catherine, you must know, I don't think like at al…' he began, but suddenly she was up and angry, not shouting, just angry.

'Ohhh, Rick! How can you not, what would be the point..? And how could I compare..? You would want..? and Lindsey?' She paced fanatically in front of him before he could take her hands and pull her down in front of him, her anger fuelling his courage and giving him strength to tell her the truth. 'Cath, I DO love you, Jesus Christ, you and Lindsey are my family, I adore you both, I have that picture your mother took at her 7th birthday in my wallet for god's sake' she tried to escape his grasp but he held her firm, pushing himself off his ankles so they were both on their knees inches apart and looking deep into their eyes, the truth being proved in the look. 'And as for you' he said releasing her wrist so his hand could touch her face 'You're the most incredible woman I will ever know, brave and bright and absolutely beautiful I can hardly not look when we're together. I love your sassy attitude and your way of working a crime scene' He struggles to choose the right words 'when I got the call earlier, from Lindsey, I suddenly thought something horrendous had happened and I' he struggled again, swallowing the lump and pulling her hand to his chest 'I have these dreams… all the time and I always wake to find you're not with me and I think I will never be good enough. I'm the one not worthy Cathy.' The last sentence he whispered.

They are very close, their noses only cm's from eachother, the breath of one being caught by the other and hands joined, his left and her right resting over his heart while the others rest gently on her cheek. And together, as if nothing else seemed right, they move together, finally the contact, her lips on his as much as his lips on hers.

The kiss was electric, her lips were warm and salty from the tears, Warrick wrapped his arms tightly around her and caressed the back of the neck, entwining his hand in her hair, his other curved around her body and he gently ran his fingers along her rib-cage. Her hands found his neck and she crossed them behind his head, deepening the kiss.

Their bodies were flush against each other's, their bodies molding into eachother as he ghosted his tongue over her lips, slipping over the barriers as she released a gasp at his movements. As tongues caressed each other in a delectable dance of playful dominance, her legs weakened and she sat back on her heels, changing the angle of the kiss and giving him more control. He took it but not forcefully, his hand coasting over her back to her side and drawing small circles up to the side of her breast. She shuddered with lust at the feel of his hand on her and broke the kiss to allow herself a moan and, closing her eyes she moved her hand to his and moved it more purposely to cover her fully over the clothes. He murmured his appreciation as he moved his head to her neck, nipping at the skin before soothing it with a gentle lick or brush of his lips. He wouldn't be able to get enough, but he wanted to know what she wanted and he was determined to make love to her, treat her better than she had ever been treated, show her what she meant to him.

He broke away from her smoothly, pushing back so he was sitting on the floor with his back against the bed, legs in front of him and his hands still caressing her, one kneading her breasts in a sensual massage and the other holding her in position by her hip. He pulled her to him with enough force to catch her off guard. He maneuvered her so she was sitting with her back against his chest and legs in similar position to his, the swiftness of the movement had her disorientated for the minute and she gripped Warrick's thighs, high. He felt her nails in her skin and the sensations travelled straight to his groin, forcing him to release the low growl that had been growing in his lungs, she felt it against her back and she let her head fall back against his shoulder.

His lips were next to her ear and she could hear his sharp, fast breaths. When he spoke his deep voice was laced with such lust and longing that her breath hitched and she felt herself become instantly wet.

'Talk to me Cath, Tell me what I did, what you let me do to you?'

She gasped at his command, struggling to focus on anything while his hands caressed her sides and abdomen, occasionally brushing her breast and sending shivers to her core. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, re-counting the intimate details of the dream.

'You weren't home…' She began to say but as soon as she started talking his lips found the pressure spot on her neck and he sucked tantalizingly and caused her to lose all conscious thought.

'Go on…' He whispered huskily as his right hand travelled down her naval and then up under the vest top she was wearing.

'You weren't home… So, I, I waited for you, I was wandering around looking at things in your room'

His hand had made it to her breast now and was gently fondling it as his lips continued exploring her neck and his other hand moved to the straps of the vest top.

'You came home,' Her voice but a rasp 'I sat on your bed and you walked in'

He slipped one strap down and kissed along where it had been while paying particular to the erect nipple in his right hand

'Ohh, god… Umm, you umm… You were angry that I was in there but then walked over, I stood up to explain but I saw this look in your eyes and I just … You took me in your arms and kissed me and I felt your body… so tense and I felt your cock…'

She faltered again as, at the mention of his cock, he unintentionally thrust into her lower back, she could feel him in all his glory and she whimpered at the size. He growled and, removing his hands from her he gripped the bottom of the top and pulled it over her head, pulling her arms up as he reached around her again and used both his hands on her breasts, teasing her nipples and rolling them in his palms, her hands found his head as he captured her lips again from behind before lowering his to her collarbone and neck.

'I remember you saying I shouldn't of come in here, there were to many things you wanted to do to me in here to let me walk out on you now…' He found another spot on the back of her neck as his left hand travelled down to the hem of her shorts, teasing the skin.

'I pull you back and fall on the bed and you land on me… You're so hard..'

Her voice trailed off as she gripped his left hand and pushed it into her slacks, under her panties and to where she was burning for him to touch her. As he cupped her hard they both let out a throaty moan, Catherine's breathing becoming hitched and shallow as Warrick gyrated his palm over her.

'Jesus Warrick, please… Inside' she pleaded with him, she was so wrapped up in the detail of her dream and the feelings his hands and mouth were producing was taking her quickly to the edge.

'Keep going' came his response as her pulled his hand back slightly to position his fingers at her clit, circling it gently

'Ohh Jesus, you, oh, ripped my dress… I can't remember wearing anything underneath… And then you were naked and you climbed on me, kissed my neck and took my breast into your mou… Ahh.'

He'd slipped two fingers into her warm, tight, soaking entrance and curled them against her, he began a steady pace inside her pants and she felt herself moving to meet him, heightening her experience as she heard his murmured appraisal.

'I told you I needed you in me and you slipped your hands… under my hips… You thrust into me and kiss me on the mouth… Ohh, you were so big and you thrust so deep and you were so firm but kind I was so close… Please…' She was struggling to talk, to think, to breathe. She use wanted him to take her over the edge.

'Do you know,' His voice was almost as constricted as hers as he picked up the rhythm 'I have thought an about having you every way I can Cathy. So many nights I've had you in my head and nothing but my hand to satisfy me...' He trailed of as he suckled on her pressure point again. She gasped and gripped his thigh with one hand and the other holding his left arm as it delved into her.

'I can't… see… any complaints… with that…' She gasped out, eyes still closed and head lulled back on him.

'Ohh no,' he turned his face to her ear and nipped her earlobe before sucking it into his month and running his tongue along the bottom. 'Can't imagine it's as good as your mouth' He grinned at her reaction, moaning unintelligibly and arching off his chest. She was close to the edge, her blood carrying the pleasure all around her body so she tingled everywhere.

'Well, we are enjoying ourselves, I always wanted to see you fall apart for me, I never thought I could be enough for you… Your such an incredible woman…'

She began to pulse around his fingers and her breaths became high pitched and ragged.

'I have wondered what it would be like to taste you, to fill you, to have you on top of me, under me and against me… Come for me Cathy'

Almost on cue her resolve broke and the orgasm hit, she arched her back and pulled her legs in, she gripped harder on his body and let out a gasping moan, followed by his name. He continued to move his hand, seeing her through her orgasm and bringing her slowly down. His lips sort hers out and locked them in a passionate embrace she returned fearlessly. His right hand travelled up to her neck and into his hair where she deepened the kiss. She felt on fire. Completely set alight by his touch, she felt him remove his hand and turned into the kiss. Placing a leg on each side of his thigh she pushed herself into him. Kissing him fully and using her knee to rub against his cock.

His hands arrived on her hips and pushed her back slightly, so her knee and lips could no longer reach him. He looked at her deeply and kissed her wrist, 'Forgive me Cathy, I – I didn't mean to take it that far' He needed her to know he didn't want to take advantage of her, her eyes shined and a smile graced her features, he felt his heart swarm at the sight of it and he pulled her to him again. He wanted to take her, make love to her, and be in her. He wrapped one arm tightly around her waist as he braced himself on the bed and began to rise them from the floor. Once she was clear of the bed he turned them around and lay her down on it, carrying on his exploration of her with his mouth, this time on the front. He lapped at her breasts and suckled her nipples, listening to her moans and reveling in the feel of her fingers in his hair. He felt her tugging and returned to her mouth, she kissed him hungrily, devouring all he had to give her and sourcing out more from the hidden crevasses of his mouth.

'Take them off' her voice was husky but held a determined tease to it and it turned him on ten-fold to see the sassy fire he had come to love. He got off her quickly and reached down to her slacks, sliding them straight off, along with her panties. He then began to undress himself, pulling the clothes off haphazardly as she watched him, biting her lip in anticipation.

She couldn't believe it was happening, he said he loved her, said he cared and showed it by giving her a release so unlike any she had experienced and now he was answering to her commands and giving her his all without taking his fill. No-one had ever taken time over her like this.

She reached forward, sitting on the end of the bed and caressing his hip, moving her hand over his pronounced abdominal muscles before shifting her hand down. He gritted his teeth at the feel of her on him and then took her hand. Moving back to the bed he shifted her and got in aswell, lying next to her and pulling her into a kiss. Her hand travelled back down and gripped him again, gently teasing him until he couldn't think straight.

'Let go Cathy' he murmured, pushing her onto her back and climbing over her, supporting himself on her elbows and burying his face in her shoulder.

He bit at her and let his hand travel down to her, testing to see if she was ready for him, she was by far the sexiest woman he'd ever been intimate with. She bucked her hips up to him and he positioned himself at her entrance. He could feel the heat emulating from her and he sort her lips again, the kiss was slow but powerful, the emotion clear on both sides. He gently rocked his hips into her, easing himself in as not to cause her pain or discomfort. She arched her body into him, opening her chest up for his adoration, which he granted with his mouth. Once he was fully sheathed in her he stilled for a moment, looking into her eyes deeply.

'Your beautiful' he whispered as he began to move.

The pace was steady and each thrust sent shivers of delight though her, she had no idea what had caused the sex to be so intense but as the pace picked up she felt as if she was going to explode. She gripped him tightly and returned some of the hot kisses he was placing to her collarbone and torso. He could feel her building as quickly as he was and he reached for the hand gripping his bicep and linked his fingers with hers, he would not last much longer.

He kissed her and spoke in a deep, choked voice,

'All that I said earlier, I mean it you know… with everything I am'

She felt the first pulse travel to her core but held off, determined for her strength to allow her to speak.

'Tell me Warrick, please… Say it' Her voice was cracked, there were tears forming from the tense emotional battle raging inside her, only being fuelled by his movements and his thoughtful behaviour towards her.

'I love you Cathy, God I do…' As the words left his mouth he shot his seed into her with a string of merged words. At the same time she snapped aswell and they travelled through the euphoric crowd together, locked with eachother and the pleasure they had caused eachother.

It took them a few minutes to come down; he took his weight back and kissed her shoulder. He pulled out gently and covered her again, he noticed more silent tears on her cheeks and rolled to his side, pulling her with him so she was buried deep into his side with his arms holding her tight. Worried that it was a reaction to him he knew that all he could do was show her what she meant. As he pulled her close, she responded in kind, curling her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. How could she explain the tears.

After several minutes she looked into his eyes deeply and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, after another minute she closed it and tried again but he just slipped his tongue into her mouth and kissed her deeply. He understood, he thought and he knew what to do, as the kiss broke he pulled her close and whispered to her.

'I'm here, I'll still be here, let me be here for you and Lindsey?' It seemed a question as much for him as for her, did he understand what he was taking on and did he truly want to. She looked at him and nodded, watching as his eyes lit up and her heart warmed at the idea he would be there to care.

'I love you' she said as she settled on his chest and placed her trembling hand over his hand. He gripped it tightly and pressed it into his chest, the tremble that she felt beneath it informed her he was unable to speak due to the emotion so she lifted her head and kissed his hand that sat above hers. He kissed her forehead and lay back. They allowed sleep to drift over them and his final memory was how she curled her hand into his, giving him an unfamiliar sense of being important, depended upon, loved.

She needed him, they needed him, and he was there, to stay.


End file.
